Page 625 - sons-and-lovers

window. All was dark outside. The sea was roaring.
‘It’s raining yet,’ he said.
‘Is it?’ she answered.
‘You won’t go to-night, shall you?’ he said, hesitating.
She did not answer. He waited.
‘I shouldn’t go in this rain,’ he said.
‘Do you WANT me to stay?’ she asked.
His hand as he held the dark curtain trembled.
‘Yes,’ he said.
He remained with his back to her. She rose and went
slowly to him. He let go the curtain, turned, hesitating,
towards her. She stood with her hands behind her back,
looking up at him in a heavy, inscrutable fashion.
‘Do you want me, Baxter?’ she asked.
His voice was hoarse as he answered:
‘Do you want to come back to me?’
She made a moaning noise, lifted her arms, and put them
round his neck, drawing him to her. He hid his face on her
shoulder, holding her clasped.
‘Take me back!’ she whispered, ecstatic. ‘Take me back,
take me back!’ And she put her fingers through his fine, thin
dark hair, as if she were only semi-conscious. He tightened
his grasp on her.
‘Do you want me again?’ he murmured, broken.

Sons and Lovers